The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-01-08

oouy' LII Ine one case and the spirit
al body in the other.
Though this language does not apply
to the spirit, 1 think it not unlikely
That the spirit is momentarily uncon-
scious while passing from one body to
the other. This, Paul tells us, is but a
moment-the twinkling of an eye. But
| do not believe that this is referred to
in the treatment of this subject by the
apostle.
Inc language of Paul needs quali6ca-
ton, as much as our own, relating to
this subject. When he says, THAT
which thou sowest is not quickened,
except it die,' the plain inference is, if
it die, it is quickened. But we all know
that the part of the seed that dies is not
quickened; and that if all the seed died
no part of it would be quickened.
Hence Robert Taylor retorts the words
OF Paul, "Thou fool, Paul, that which
thou sowest is not quickened, if it do
de-" In the sense intended, Paul is
right; In another sense, the infidel is
right. Paul makes no distinction be-
tween the part of the seed that dies.
and the part that does not die. When
ne says the seed dies, he refers to one
part of it. When his adversary says
the seed is not quickened, if it does die,
he refers to another part. With the
reference of each, both are right. Paul's
words are no more Objectionable than
mine are, when say 1 have buried my
father, and Mr.. Taylor could object to
the one with as much propriety as he
does to the other. No infdel knows
better than Paul did, that if the whole
seed died, no new seed could spring
from1t; but he also knew that the germ
OF the seed sown must part with its old
body by death, before it could enter in
and quicken new body. But, as the
subJectrequired, he speaks of the death
OF the seed as he would have spoken Of
the death of man. We say that a
man has died, when we mean only that
his body has died. In the same way,
Paul says the seed is not quickened ex-
cept it die. 1t is not often that men
are so stupid as to object to such lam
guage.
Though Paul does not distinguish
between the part of the seed that dies,
and the part that does not die, in the
above passage, he does not overlook this
distinction altogether, but introduces
it further along in the chapter. When
he says, "We shall not all Sleep" or
die, he means in the plural, what 1 do
in the singular, when 1 say, II shall
not all die" I mean my body will die;
but not my soul; and he means, our
bodies will die, but not our souls; and
this distinction is implied all through
the chapter. With any other interpre-
tation, Paul is made to contradict him
self. He had before said, that in Adam
all die, and that man must die in
order to be quickened; and he makes
the quickening to consist in taking on
a new body, and not the one that had
died.
The foregoing expl anation satisfies
me, and trust it will equally satisfy
others, who may have been perplexed
and troubled on the same subject. 1t
is beautiful and philosophic doctrine,
that we enter at once on our immortal
life, with body as well adapted to
our spiritual state, as our present
bodies are to the earthly condition; and
are not to wait thousands of years, and
perhaps as many ages, before this NOR
tai puts on Immortality, and death is
swallowed up in victory. W. e. NJ.